Young Israel of Cherry Hill Building Campaign Catalog

WE ARE‫כלנ כאחד‬

YOUNG ISRAEL OF CHERRY HILL

Building Campaign

WHO WE ARE

AS A SHUL, WE ARE DIFFICULT TO CATEGORIZE:
• We are 22 years old, but have the renewed energy of a shul in its early years.
• Our members are bound together by their common commitment to growing in their Torah

observance, although each is at his/her unique stage of development and is respectful of
where others may be holding.
• Davening is quiet and thoughtful, mixed with joy when we come together with one voice.
• As serious as we are in davening, we are equally seriously committed to having fun and
bonding as a community. We have programs for men, women, children and families.
They range from lectures and discussion groups, to crafts, apple picking excursions and
having the children paint the Rabbi’s car.
• Since Jews traditionally bond over food, we have become known for our food events –
Shabbos Kiddush, Simchat Torah BBQ’s, Purim seudahs, annual chulent cook-off and so
much more.
• Most importantly, we are a COMMUNITY of Jews who care for each other, the wider
Jewish community and the Jewish people worldwide. We understand that serving Hashem
is a Jew’s ultimate role and that it is achieved through many paths. We support each other
through life’s journey. WE ARE A FAMILY.

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OpApwoertsuonmitye PassionateLoving

Welcome Heartfelt GROWTH

Spiritual FAMILYInviting WARM Friendly
CommunityHomey Friendship Dynamic EMBRACING
ICnovnolnveecmteionnt HAPPY Engaging
Invigorating
RuachAcceptance
JOYFUL GLEeSiHbMeAdKig
FAITH Gevaldig
HEARTWARMING

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IN THE BEGINNING

In April of 1996, eight young Cherry Hill families decided to create a new shul. Fueled by the
desire to improve their Jewish spiritual life, they launched forward in pursuit of a common
vision: a warm, inclusive environment focused on growth in Torah, learning and the practice
of mitzvot, and an emphasis on community involvement. It would welcome any Jew who
shared their goals, irrespective of background or level of observance, with the hope that all
would be inspired to grow Jewishly and to support one another along the journey.

With no permanent place to meet and no Rabbi to lead them, these pioneers created Beit
Tefilah, spending the first year davening in members’ homes. It was a hands-on effort;
members led the davening and read the Torah, cooked and served Kiddush, and every two
or three months packed up the siddurim, chumashim, Sefer Torah, Aron Kodesh, table and
chairs and moved to their next destination. While the shul eventually found a permanent
home, this model of member-led activity continues to this day.

Recognizing the need for leadership, the congregation hired Rabbi Yisrael Teichman as its
Rabbi and teacher. Raised in Los Angeles with smicha from Rav Reuven Feinstein, shlit”a,
Rabbi Teichman was the perfect catalyst for the members’ continued growth. They pooled
their resources and purchased a small former farmhouse on a two-acre plot on Cooper
Landing Road, and with some sweat equity, turned it into a shul. Parents and children
worked to knock down walls, paint and make repairs - an activity revisited many times over
the years as the congregation continued to grow.

In 1998, Beit Tefilah joined the National Council of Young Israel and became the Young
Israel of Cherry Hill. After a seven-year tenure, Rabbi Teichman moved to the New York
area and Rabbi Mordechai Rhine led the shul for the next ten years. Upon his departure,
the congregation invited Rabbi Jonathan Bienenfeld to take the helm of the shul. Under his
guidance, dynamism, and tireless work alongside his wife, Sarah, Young Israel has enjoyed
explosive growth.

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IT’S TIME TO EXPAND

Since Rabbi Bienenfeld took on leadership of our shul in 2014, attendance and membership have
grown exponentially. Shabbos morning is often standing room only, while children’s groups are
limited as we lack sufficient space. For Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we hold two services, one
in the shul and one at the Kollel, in order to accommodate everyone. Our annual Purim seudah
long ago outgrew our space, and each year we move to larger and larger venues.

Cherry Hill is no longer a “hidden gem”; we are now known as an up-and-coming Jewish community.
The growth of Politz Day School and Foxman Torah Institute, affordable housing, access to multiple
regions of employment, and close proximity to other large Jewish communities have attracted
many new families - many of whom are gravitating to Young Israel for its warmth, Torah growth
environment, family atmosphere and dynamic leadership.

We have come to a crossroads where additional space is not a “Nice-to-Have,” but a “Must-Have”.

OUR GOAL

One of Young Israel’s founding principles was to always be financially responsible and to manage the
shul’s money with the same care that we manage our own. The shul’s budget reflects this philosophy.
We try to maintain the shul building as a b’kavod place to daven to Hashem, while keeping in mind
that the building is not the end in itself. What happens within its walls is of the most importance.

To reflect that priority, our goal is to build a larger space where our growing congregation can daven
and learn together. The existing space will be repurposed for classrooms and an expanded kitchen.
The new structure will reflect our core values: Avodas Hashem, Torah learning, instilling in our
children a love for our way of life, having fun together and continuing to grow our shul family and
community.

6

Current Shul Building:
1,230 Sq Ft with 70 seats

Current Average Shabbos Attendance:
45 Men, 25 Women and 30 Children = 100 People

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MEET THE NEW SHUL Large Playground
Modern Kitchen
Updated Design
New Youth Center

Our goal is to raise $1.5 million an

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4,490 SQ FT | 200+ SEATS

Designated Stroller Parking Improved Bathroom Facilities

Handicap Accessible More Parking

nd break ground within 12 months

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MESSAGE FROM OUR RABBI

The Young Israel of Cherry Hill is a community that allows individuals
to stand out and to shine, to use their unique talents for the greater
good. What makes us special is more than our small size, the reality
that in a group so small, each member is important. What makes us
unique is that, “We Are One.” Not by necessity, but by choice. We are
one because of our mutual respect and admiration for each other. We
are one because each of us is excited by the prospect that the next great
idea is in someone else’s head, not my own. We are one because seeing
the world through the eyes of my friend makes my own life that much
more meaningful.

Can concepts so lofty, attitudes so ethereal be at the mercy “What makes us special is
of something as finite as brick and mortar? Unfortunately,
yes. The strange mix of hysical and spiritual, of finite more than our small size, the
and infinite, that exists within one individual body, is reality that in a group so small,
a phenomenon that exists on a communal level as well. each member is important.
The sense that “We Are One” is an attitude perpetually

nurtured by occupying the same physical space. It is

born out of communal experiences of davening together, of learning together, of being in each

other’s company. For these experiences to continue, we must expand our shul to accommodate our

growing population, our ever-widening circle of friends and neighbors. We need a larger body to

accommodate our burgeoning soul.

Our sights are set high. But, after all, “We Are One.” With a unified effort, we’ll achieve our goal. I
look forward to embarking on the journey with you all.

B’vracha v’hatzlacha,
Rabbi Bienenfeld

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DEDICATIONS

We all play a part,
what part are you?

*Images displayed are for presentation purposes only.

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CAMPUS

$500,000

And your camp ‫והיה מחנך קדוש‬
shall be holy.

When the Jews wandered
the desert, the Mishkan
served as their source
of holiness, emanating
outward like the warmth
of a fire to infuse the
entire camp with sanctity.
Our goal is not to build
a lone building, but an
entire campus which will
serve as the spiritual focal
point of the community,
offering welcome and
inspiration to every
member.

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BUILDING

$300,000

May Your eyes be open
toward this house night

and day, toward the
house about which You

Have said, My Name
shall be there.

THE Just as Hashem created
_______ the universe as a home for
BUILDING
humankind, the Jewish
‫להיות עניך פתוחות אל הבית הזה לילה‬ people were commanded
‫ויום אל המקום אשר אמרת יהיה שמי שם‬
to build a Sanctuary as
a home for G-d. The

Young Israel Building is
the home base for our

community, where we will
not only engage Hashem,

but one where Hashem
engages the community
in return. We will do our
part to fill the space with
prayer, Torah study, and
chessed - activities that will
draw Hashem’s name into

our very midst.

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SANCTUARY

$180,000

Make for Me a ‫ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם‬
Sanctuary, and I will
dwell in your midst.

We are commanded
in the Torah to build
a physical home for
Hashem’s shechinah to
dwell in our midst. With
the construction of our
new spiritual home, we
will provide a beautiful
and welcoming space
for the Shechinah and
for the members of our
community to grow
spiritually, and to deepen
our relationships with
Hashem and with each
other.

14

LOBBY

$100,000

‫יוסף בן יוחנן איש ירושלים אומר‬ Let your house
‫יהי ביתך פתוח לרווחה‬ be open wide.

A place of welcome
is highly valued in
the Jewish tradition,
between Avraham
Avinu’s open tent and
the mitzvah to “welcome
the stranger.” Our lobby
will be an open, bright

space where all
who enter are
welcomed warmly.

15

ARON KODESH

$75,000

They carried the ark of
the covenant, and they
went before the nation.

The holy Aron was once
stored in the Kodesh
HaKedoshim, the holiest
of holy places, which
indicated the high value of
the ark’s contents. Today,
we provide our beloved
Torah scrolls with a home
befitting their status as
the centerpiece of Jewish
life, our families, and our
community.

‫ארון הברית ועברו לפני העם‬-‫שאו את‬
‫ארון הברית וילכו לפני העם‬-‫וישאו את‬

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YOUTH CENTER

$75,000

‫אל תקרי בניך אלא בוניך‬ Do not call them
“your children”, but

“your builders”.

The Talmud says that
those who guide their
children on the right
path will “know that

their tent is safe.”
Children are a vital
part of our community,

and their growth,
connection, and joy
our priority. A bright,
open space for them to
play and learn allows
for a feeling of value,
comfort and ownership,
enabling the children to
take their place in our
congregation and the
Jewish people at large.

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SITTING GARDENS

$60,000

How beautiful and ‫בשעה שברא הקב׳׳ה את אדם הראשון‬
praiseworthy are my ‫נטלו והחזירו על כל אילני גן עדן ואמר‬
creations! All that I ‫לו ראה מעשי כמה נאים ומשובחין הן‬
created was for your
benefit. ‫וכל מה שבראתי בשבילך בראתי‬

When Hashem created
Adam, he showed him
Gan Eden and said, “See
My works, how fine they
are; Now all that I have
created, I created for your
benefit.” (Kohelet Rabbah)
Hashem takes pride in a
beautiful garden, meant
for his creations to enjoy.
With a beautiful sitting
garden, we will be fulfilling
Hashem’s intention in
his beautiful world, while
providing our members
with a lovely space for rest
and contemplation.

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CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND

$60,000

‫הבן יקיר לי אפרים אם ילד שעשעים‬ Is Ephraim my favorite
‫כי מדי דברי בו זכר אזכרנו עוד‬ son or a delighful child,
‫על כן המו מעי לו‬
that whenever I speak
of him I remember him

more and more?

According to the
Talmud, Hashem
dedicates an hour a
day to laughter and joy.
Our children dedicate
themselves with equal
seriousness to the
task, and it’s our role
to provide them with
the perfect setting for
it. A playground is
where children develop
necessary physical
and social skills and
learn how to interact
peacefully with others -
a mitzvah we continue
to work on throughout

our lives.

19

SECURITY SYSTEM

$60,000

Her husband’s heart is ‫בטח בה לב בעלה‬
secure in her.

While we believe in
the Torah’s protection,
Hashem still codified
the mitzvah to protect
ourselves and each other.
This means adopting
security measures
necessary to keep our
community safe with the
gift of modern technology.
After all, the most
treasured place of the
community has the most
serious need of protection.
.

20

KITCHEN (MEAT)

$60,000

‫אין שמחה אלא בבשר‬ There is no joy other
than meat.

Meat is a food
specifically gifted to us
from Hashem after the
flood, and is considered

a vital element to the
pleasure of Shabbos. A
proper kitchen in which
to prepare meat-based
dishes will allow us to
create delicious, fragrant
meals that will deepen
our community’s oneg

Shabbos.

21

VESTIBULE

$50,000

This is the gate of ‫זה השער לה׳ צדיקים יבואו בו‬
Hashem; the righteous
shall enter through it.

The vestibule marks the
transition between one
space and the next. In this
case, the the threshold of
our shul marks the step
from the mundane world
into a place of holiness.
Rightenousness rests at the
threshold and travels with
us into a different realm.

22

BIMAH

$50,000

‫ויעמד עזרא הסופר על מגדל עץ‬ Ezra ascended the
‫ויפתח לעיני כל העם‬ podium and opened the

Torah before the eyes
of the entire nation.

The shul’s Bimah is
designed to uphold the
word’s meaning of “an

elevated place.” It will
serve as stage where

prayer, Torah reading,
and Shabbat- and

holiday-related mitzvot
will be performed with

the deepest love and
kavanah.

23

SUKKAH SITE/ PATIO

$36,000

Spread upon us your ‫ופרוש עלינו סוכת שלומך‬
sukkah of peace.

The Sukkah, a temporary
dwelling, reminds us of the
transience of this world.
While it is humbling to
internalize that all we have
is the result Hashem’s
chesed, the Sukkah is
meant to give us peace
as we sit securely in the
protection of our Creator.
It is the perfect place to
celebrate Hashem’s gifts
as a community, enjoying
both the Sukkah and
the beautiful world He
created.

24

KITCHEN (DAIRY)

$36,000

‫דבש וחלב תחת לשונך‬ Honey and milk
beneath your tongue.

Food is a centerpiece of
Jewish tradition, as are
the laws of kashrut. As
Jews committed to living

a Torah lifestyle, it is
our honor to designate
a kitchen only for dairy
foods, to ensure that the
standards of kashrut are
maintained. Our many
shul events are enhanced
with the ability to store

and prepare delicious
dishes for our members.

25

BIMAH COVER

$25,000

Fine linen and purple ‫שש וארגמן לבושה‬
wool adorn her.

Like a queen befitted in
velvet and lace, we cover
the Bimah with a cloth of
beauty and richness on
which to lay our beloved
Torah. We wish to provide
a regal and elegant bimah
cloth for our Torahs as a
sign of the community’s
deepest love and respect.

26

DEDICATION WALL

$25,000

:‫שלשה כתרים הם‬ There are three
.‫ וכתר מלכות‬,‫וכתר כהונה‬, ,‫כתר תורה‬ crowns: The crown
of Torah, the crown
.‫כתר שם טוב עולה על גביהן‬ of kehunah, and the
crown of sovereignty.
But the crown of a

good name stands
above them all.

We are exhorted at
every opportunity to
show “hakarat hatov,” or
appreciation to those who
have done good for us.
We provide a designated
space to honor those
who have helped build
our shul, displaying their
names in a permanent
fixture where we can give
“hakarat hatov” each time

we read them.

27

WASHING CENTER

$25,000

Who will ascend the ‫מי יעלה בהר ה׳ נקי כפים‬
mountain of G-d? He
whose hands are clean.

Before beginning any
holy work, we are called
to purify our bodies,
representing how we
strive to purify our souls.
Like David Hamelech,
who wished to ascend to
Hashem with metaphorical
“clean hands”, the washing
station is our place to
prepare for service to
Hashem, goodness to each
other, and growth within.

28

LANDSCAPING

$25,000 (4 Available)

‫כי האדם עץ השדה‬ For man is a
tree of the field.
The Torah compares a
man to a tree, with deep
roots, wide branches,
and the capability for
stunning growth. The
beauty of our exterior is
enhanced by greenery
that reflects the majesty
of the building as well
as the artistry of the

Creator.

29

SANCTUARY MEZUZAH

$18,000

And these words that ‫והיו הדברים האלה אשר אנכי מצוך‬
I command you today ‫היום על לבבך‬
shall be upon your
hearts.

On the klaf inside the
mezuzah are written “the
things that I commanded
you today,” - the 613
mitzvot. As we enter the
sanctuary, a beautiful
mezuzah will lead us with
those holy words to the
Torah itself, from which
we read of the mitzvot
every week.

30

SUKKAH

$18,000

So that your future
generations shall

know that I had the
Children of Israel

dwell in sukkos when
I took them out of the

land of Egypt.

The mitzvah of
remembering yeztiat
mitzrayim is perhaps
most easily done in
the Sukkah, where our
people dwelled while
wandering the desert.
The vision of our shul’s
sukkah is a place of
celebration amd gratitude
where we remember Who

sustains us.

‫למען ידעו דרתיכם כי בסכות הושבתי את‬
‫בני ישראל בהוציאי אותם מארץ מצרים‬

31

CLASSROOM

$18,000 (2 available)

And you shall teach ‫ושננתם לבנך‬
your children.

While our new building
will serve as a center
of adult education and
social programming, the
shul will also be a space
for every generation to
engage and connect. We
envision every member
of our community, young
and old, to feel that our
building is their home
and haven, where Torah
can pass lovingly from one
generation to the next.

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EXTERIOR MEZUZAH

$18,000

So that your future
generations shall

know that I had the
Children of Israel

dwell in sukkos when
I took them out of the

land of Egypt.

At every threshold, we
are called to take pause

and reconnect to our
true intention by kissing

the mezuzah. In these
times of transition, the
mezuzah reminds most
of who we are and who
we are meant to become.

‫וכתבתם על מזוזות ביתך ובשעריך‬

33

MECHITZAH

$18,000

This is none other than ‫לקים‬-‫אין זה כי אם בית א‬
the house of G-d; this ‫וזה שער השמים‬
is the gate of Heaven.

The sages call upon us
to create “fences” to
separate the sacred from
the profane, the permitted
and the forbidden. These
boundaries also serve as
reminders as to where our
focus should be placed - on
inward connection versus
outward distraction. In
our shul, the mechitza is
designed to both enhance
the beauty of the beit
knesset, while respectfully
offering everyone a space
where they can daven
in comfort and with
intention.

34

CHANDELIER - LOBBY

$18,000

‫התעוררי התעוררי כי בא אורך קומי אורי‬ Arise! Arise! Your
light is coming; may

my light rise up!

While the focus of
our community is on
inner development and
personal growth, we also
believe in the power of
outer beauty to uplift
and inspire. We honor
the Torah, which brings
spiritual light to our
souls, by bedecking it
in fine materials and a
silver crown. So, too, do
we beautify the lights
that physically illuminate

our holy space.

35

CHANDELIER - BIMA

$18,000

For a mitzvah is a ‫כי נר מצוה ותורה אור‬
flame and the Torah
is light.

One of the roots for
the word “Torah” is the
world “Orah,” light, from
which we learn that one
of Torah’s many gifts
is illumination - both
spiritual and metaphorical.
A beautiful chandelier in
our beit knesset does the
same: enlightening our
holy room and serving as a
physical reminder of what
our Torah does for each
of us.

36

RABBI’S OFFICE

$18,000

‫יהי ביתך בית ועד לחכמים‬


Make your home a
meeting place for
chachamim.

Moshe Rabbeinu describes
the ideal Jewish leader as
someone who will “go out

before t[the community] and
come in before them, who

will lead them out and bring
them in.” Our community
leaders serve in the public
sphere, teaching classes,
giving Shabbos drashos,
and leading events. But
their works also extends to
the private sphere, where
congregants seek personal
guidance. A comfortable
and pleasant office for the
rav to work, to study, to

contemplate, and to provide
a listening ear is vital as he

continues to work diligently
for the community.

37

PAROCHES (for the year)

$15,000

And the curtain ‫והבדילה הפרכת לכם בין הקדש‬
shall separate ‫ובין קדש הקדשים‬
between the Holy
and the Holy of Holies.

While all of us, like David
Hamelech, would wish
to “dwell in Holiness”
at all times, we are often
divided between the holy
and the mundane. The
distinction is manifested
in the parochet, which
protects our Torah from
the mundane world until
it can be brought out to
the holiness of Shabbos.
Like a veil over the face
of a bride, we wish to give
our Torah a beautiful
decorative covering to
prepare it for the holiest
times of the week.

38

PAROCHES (Yomim Noraim)

$15,000

‫אם יהיו חטאיכם כשנים כשלג ילבינו‬ If your sins
will be like crimson,

they shall become
white as snow.

The white Paroches
used for the Yamim
Noraim encourage all
of us to return to a state
of purity and newness,
while honoring our
Torah as it reaches its
pinnacle and returns
back to the beginning.
It is the perfect addition
to the renewed and
restorative environment
of our shul on the High

Holy Days.

39

EXTERIOR DOOR

$15,000

Lift up your heads, O ‫שאו שערים ראשיכם והנשאו‬
gates, and be uplifted ‫פתחי עולם ויבא מלך הכבוד‬
you eternal entrances,
so that the King of
Glory may enter.

There are times of arrival
and times of departure,
and our tradition
encourages us to do both
in peace. The doors of
our building provide
an entryway to the
peaceful sanctuary of our
shul where the spirit is
nourished well enough to
carry peace back out into
the world.

40

STROLLER PARKING

$15,000

‫בננו עורבים אותנו‬ Our children shall
act as our guarantors

for the Torah.

Family is the center of
Jewish life, and our shul

is designed to reflect
that in every aspect.
Bringing young children
to shul each week is not
always easy, but we hope
to make it as simple and
welcoming as possible
with an easily accessible
area for stroller parking.
Children are an integral
part of our community,
and we encourage their
presence in our new

space.

41

NER TAMID

$15,000

An eternal flame ‫אש תמיד תוקד על המזבח לא תכבה‬
shall you arrange
upon the altar;
do not extinguish it.

In the original mizbeach,
there was a fire constantly
burning. Despite years
of exile, genocide, and
hardships of living in the
diaspora, the flame of the
Jewish people, too, has
never gone out. The Aish
Tamid in our shul serves
as a constant reminder for
communal and personal
spirituality, and transforms
our building into a mikdash
me’at.

42

AUDIO VISUAL EQUIPMENT

$15,000

‫נצור תורתי בלבך ונגד עיניך תהיה יראתי‬ Guard My Torah
in your heart;

My awe shall be
before your eyes.

Our Jewish ritual
objects, such as the etrog

or matzah, engage the
five senses in order to
imprint the experience

into our bodies and
memories. By providing

learning opportunities
to our communities

with a modern audio-
visual center, we offer
the same opportunity
with Torah learning,
allowing wisdom and
inspiration to reach our
souls through the sense
of sight and hearing.

43

NURSING MOMS ROOM

$12,000

And she gives ‫ותתן טרף לביתה‬
sustenance to her
household.

Mothers are the foundation
of the Jewish people,
who deserve a peaceful,
comfortable space in which
to tend their children.
An integral part of our
spiritual space is ensuring
the nourishment of the
entire family, especially
the next generation. We
consider the sustenance of
our children among the
holiest of endeavors, which
we honor and integrate into
our community sphere.

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CHANUKAH MENORAH

$10,000

‫והעלה את נרתיה והאיר על עבר פניה‬ He will light the
lamps of the menorah,

and it will cast light
towards its face.

The instructions for
building the Menorah

were so complex, the
Midrash says, that even

Moshe Rabbeinu had
trouble remembering

them. Luckily, the
artist, Betzalel, had the
exemplary memory to
help carry the directions

out properly. Like
them, our community
is brightened by each

member’s gifts and
talents, and we rely on
each other to bring light

to the greater whole.

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FENCE

$10,000

Place a protective fence ‫ועשו סייג לתורה‬
around the Torah.
We are commanded to
put “fences” around our
behavior as protection for
our souls from the evil
inclination. Our shul also
requires a fence to ensure
the safety of the souls and
holy materials within it.

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COAT ROOM

$7,500

‫לא תירא לביתה משלג‬ Her household has
‫כי כל ביתה לבוש שנים‬ no fear of snow, for
garments of scarlet

adorn them all.

Spiritual progress cannot
be made without first

tending to our physical
needs, providing our
bodies with warmth

and protection. But as
we leave the outside

and step into our holy
space, we can let go of
our physical covering
to be embraced by the
emotional and spiritual
warmth of our shul and

community.

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TALIS RACK

$5,000

And you will see them ‫וראיתם אותו וזכרתם את כל מצוות ה׳‬
and remember all the
mitzvos of Hashem.

The structure of a tallis
is meant to remind its
wearer of Hashem and his
commandments, and is a
garment that distinguishes
Jewish men from their non-
Jewish peers. In the past,
they have worn talleisim
despite the risk of danger,
and have made great
sacrifices to perform the
mitzvah. In honor of these
holy garments, we provide
a place to hang them with
proper care and respect.

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RABBI’S CHAIR

$5,000

‫אשרי יושבי ביתך‬ Fortunate are those
who sit in Your house.

Just as we offer special
seats to those we wish
to honor - even Hashem

sits on a “kisei ram
v’nisah” - the rabbi who
leads our community is

honored with his own
seat of honor.

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COFFEE STATION

$5,000

Those who are ‫עורו ישנים משנתכם והקיצו‬
sleeping, rouse from ‫נרדמים מתרדמתכם‬
your slumber!

Like many advances
throughout history, we
have Jews to thank for
bringing coffee to Western
culture. A Jewish proprietor
opened the first European
coffeehouse, in Livorno,
Italy in 1632, while Jewish
merchants introduced
coffeehouses to the
Netherlands and France.
Patrons who studied Torah
appreciated the drink’s
ability to keep them awake
for late-night learning and
prayer - as do the modern
American members of our
congregation.

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